Wonder-drug that slashes covid death risk by 80% approved in UK

A wonder-drug that slashes the covid death risk by nearly 80% has been approved in the UK.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have approved a new wonder-drug for people at high risk of developing severe Covid. The drug is made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The new drug sotrovimab is known as Xevudy.

The drug stops the coronavirus from replicating in the body. The MHRA has approved it for use for people with risk factors such as age, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

GlaxoSmithKline explained: “In a clinical trial, a single dose of the monoclonal antibody was found to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death by 79% in high-risk adults with symptomatic COVID-19 infection.

“Based on the clinical trial data, sotrovimab is most effective when taken during the early stages of infection and so the MHRA recommends its use as soon as possible and within five days of symptom onset.”

MHRA Chief Executive Dr June Raine commented on the new treatment option. She said: “I am pleased to say that we now have another safe and effective COVID-19 treatment, Xevudy (sotrovimab), for those at risk of developing severe illness.

“This is yet another therapeutic that has been shown to be effective at protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19, and signals another significant step forward in our fight against this devastating disease.

“With no compromises on quality, safety and effectiveness, the public can trust that the MHRA have conducted a robust and thorough assessment of all the available data.”

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